Optical imaging pen for use with infrared ink

Abstract

Provided is an optical imaging pen configured to detect information encoded on a page with ink which is substantially invisible to the human eye. The pen includes a housing and an ink pen cartridge and a stylus mounted side by side within the housing, the ink cartridge and stylus configured to be brought forward through an open end of the housing by rotation of a pen top rotatably mounted on an end of the housing. The pen includes an electronics chassis mounted inside the housing, said chassis supporting an infrared LED for providing infrared radiation for projection onto the page, an image sensor for receiving reflected radiation from the surface, a radio frequency circuit having a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver, and a controller circuit for controlling operation of the LED, sensor and radio frequency circuit. Also included is a rechargeable battery mounted about, and in contact with, the electronics chassis with an induction coil mounted about the chassis to enable induction recharging of the battery.

1. An optical imaging pen configured to detect information encoded on a page with ink which is substantially invisible to the human eye, said pen comprising:
 a housing; 
 an ink pen cartridge and a stylus mounted side by side within the housing, the ink cartridge and stylus configured to be individually brought forward through an open end of the housing by rotation of a pen top rotatably mounted on an end of the housing; 
 a rotatable cam barrel secured to the pen top, the cam barrel including a cam in the form of a slot within walls of the cam barrel for engaging cam followers in the form of projecting slider blocks of the pen cartridge and stylus, such that rotation of the pen top slides either the pen cartridge or stylus out of the housing, 
 an electronics chassis mounted inside the housing; 
 an infrared LED supported by the chassis for providing infrared radiation for projection onto the page; 
 an image sensor for receiving reflected radiation from the surface; 
 a radio frequency circuit having a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver; 
 a controller circuit for controlling operation of the LED, sensor and radio frequency circuit; and 
 a rechargeable battery mounted about, and in contact with, the electronics chassis with an induction coil mounted about the chassis to enable induction recharging of the battery. 
 
   
   
     2. The pen of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis includes an infrared photodiode configured to detect displacement of the stylus or cartridge in the cam barrel to enable a determination of the force being applied to a nib of either the cartridge or stylus. 
   
   
     3. The pen of  claim 2 , wherein the infrared photodiode is configured to detect light from the infrared LED via reflectors mounted on the slider blocks. 
   
   
     4. The pen of  claim 1 , having a radio antenna mounted within the housing, said antenna in signal communication with the radio frequency transmitter and receiver. 
   
   
     5. The pen of  claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to calculate an orientation of the pen and a nib-to-page distance when in use. 
   
   
     6. The pen of  claim 1 , having a pair of orthogonal accelerometers mounted in a normal plane of the pen axis, said accelerometers allowing the pen to sense motion without reference to a surface location.